Following the strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU since February 14 this year, Students in Nigerian public universities have been at home, as academic activities have been put on hold and Other staff unions in the university sector have followed suit in the unending industrial action.
The unions are asking for better welfare packages, a stop to the indiscriminate setting up of new universities, more funds to run the universities, and discontinuation of the use of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System, IPPIS, among others. Though a series of meetings have been held between the government and the unions, so far it has not been productive.
Meanwhile, this unending struggle between the union and the government has resulted in varied consequences, good and bad, especially for the students.
Idle students now engaged in various appalling activities to while away the time. They now indulge in drinking, betting, negative social media activities, internet fraud, kidnapping, prostitution, armed robbery, and so on. Some young ladies have been forced into early and unprepared marriage and also unwanted or even wanted pregnancy.
Nancy Sunday a 200level student who is four months pregnant shared with our journalist how she had no choice but to be a surrogate for a couple after staying at home for two months doing nothing. She said, “I don’t regret my decision because the pay is good and I don’t have to do anything as I am being properly taken care of, and is not like they will end the ASSU strike anytime soon”.
A 400l student shared how she intentionally got pregnant two months before her birthday in July before aborting it. She said she did it for her photo shoot, so she can have the natural freshness pregnant women usually have in their first trimester, “I lost a lot of weight during this strike and I don’t want people to think am suffering”.
Mr. Ogo Chinaza, lamented how his two undergraduate sons spend most of their time playing games or watching football matches and betting. He said although they follow him to his shop every day, his sons hardly pay attention.
It is important to note that there are students who have done well for themselves by learning skills, taking online courses, and involve in a trade.
Issac Akanji, who just got admission into the University of Jos, before the strike commenced in February said he was learning fashion designing at the time and now he is standing on his own with a few apprentices working under him and a number of customers with a growing online presence.
Phoebe Atangs a final year student studying International Relations and History said “when the strike began, I had to move in with a friend because my rent expired and I haven’t finished writing my academic project. While staying with my friend we started making soup and stew for sale, the aim is to develop an app where people can order what they want as our customers are fast growing”.
ASUU strike has also opened the eyes of students to the realities and struggles of post-graduate students who are trying to land themselves jobs. However, it is important to note that education is a part of daily living that is priorities all over the world. No matter how successful one may be in what one does having a certificate to back it up gives one an edge over those who don’t have one.
Therefore it is important for both the government and ASUU to quickly find level ground and end the time laps students are facing because their lives, future, and aspirations matter and education is the driving force towards achieving them.
